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G is for Geoduck and Grouper

On today’s episode, I’m tackling G is for Geoduck and Grouper.

 

Listen here or download on iTunes or Google Play.


What is a gooey duck? And why is it pronounced gooey duck (GOO-ee duhk) when it’s spelled g-e-o-duck?

Geoduck is a bivalve, a burrowing clam. And according to Smithsonian, the name geoduck comes from the Nisqually Indian gweduc, which means “dig deep.” The geoduck clam uses its tiny foot to burrow into the seafloor and sand as it grows.

The first time I saw geoduck was in 2006. I was eating lunch in Sushi Tomi, a sushi bar with a very good reputation, but not so good location. In fact, I remember being dubious when my friend Belen told me about Sushi Tomi. I was familiar with the area and it didn’t strike me as the place for good sushi. Next to a Wal-Mart? Hmm.

But it was the chef that made the place, not the location, she insisted.

The joint was nothing special—a small space with a dozen or so bistro tables, a few booths along the walls, and half a dozen bar stools at the sushi bar. There was one seat at the sushi bar that day. I saddled up to a display of fish—blood red tuna, octopus, salmon, and wait, what is that?

A beige phallic-looking, almost grotesque creature was wedged in the corner of the sushi display. A large rubber band was wrapped around its shell.

It was a geoduck.

So of course I ordered some! Although I DO love clams in general. But this was something else. I might have been fascinated more than anything.

Chef nodded to me, a knowing approval. He sliced three slivers, and I mean slivers. Drizzled a little oil over the top, a kiss of salt and that was it.

The clam hit my tongue and I was transported to the Pacific Ocean. Big surf, briny water. Geoduck does have a slightly chewy texture, or course, it’s a clam, but it is also super tender and a little nutty in flavor.

This is not the clam to chop up and make clam chowder or fritters. You want to eat clam crudo or ceviche.

Where can you find geoduck?

You can find geoduck in the Pacific Northwest, think Washington State and British Columbia, but related species are also found from Argentina to New Zealand and Japan.

Geoduck is a burrowing clam. Its shell is soft and averages around six inches. Its neck or siphon can grow as long as three feet. The clam weighs about two to three pounds on average but can grow up to fourteen pounds. Undoubtedly the most unusual thing about this species is its appearance. Its neck looks like an elephant trunk growing out of its shell.

So what’s the sustainable status of a geoduck?

Well, good news friends.

Seafood Watch and Environmental Defense Find rate Geoduck best choice and a good alternative. No red labels on this species! Geoduck populations are healthy and the method of harvest doesn’t harm the habitat. Clam diggers use a handheld water jet called a stinger, to extract the clams from the sand. There’s a YouTube link in the show notes so you can see Geoduck harvesting in

There’s a YouTube link in the show notes so you can see Geoduck harvesting in action. I also included a YouTube video showing how a Geoduck is cleaned and served in Japan. Pretty cool stuff.

So where can you buy geoduck?

Taylor Shellfish Farms in Washington State ships live farmed geoduck for $35 per pound plus shipping. And remember the minimal weight of a geoduck clam is two pounds. And if you’re thinking $70 per clam, Who’d buy that?

Get this. Taylor Shellfish harvests and ships about 700,000 clams annually. Most of it goes to China. Clearly, Geoduck farming is a huge business.

You should know that even those the seafood recommendations guides give geoduck a good rating, there are some environmental concerns regarding commercial geoduck clamming. PVC pipes and nets float away, storms toss the netting ashore, the farming itself disrupts other marine creatures and birds who rely on that habitat.

But for now, your best bet is to find that awesome sushi bar and enjoy.

Let’s take a quick break and I’ll be right back with G if for Grouper.

Welcome to G is for Grouper part of the program.

If you’ve ever been to Florida, any of the Gulf coast states or any of the islands in the Caribbean, I’m betting you ate a grouper sandwich. Or twenty.

Pan seared or grilled with a kiss of salt, pepper and olive oil, topped with a dollop of garlic aioli and nestled between a warm, soft toasted bun takes me straight back to blue skies, soft sandy beaches, and palm trees. Just add Jimmy Buffet and an icy Margarita. Hello, grouper sandwich.

I’m sure I ate more grouper than any other species of fish when I lived in the Florida Keys for ten years. And I can assure you, I was not the only one.

Grouper is meaty and tender. Mild and sweet.

And grouper makes for more than just an uh-mazing fish sandwich. It’s a versatile fish and because of its meaty texture and thick flakes, grouper is suited for the oven, the grill, or the stovetop.

Most of the grouper I ate back in the day was either black or red, the two most common grouper species in Florida at the time. There were other species like the gag, scamp, yellowmouth, yellowfin, and the great goliath grouper to mention a few.

In fact, there are over 400 species of grouper!

And when you’ve ever fished for grouper, you know how tough a fight these squat slow moving fish can be. They like to burrow under rocks and let me tell you, I’ve cut more lines because a stubborn grouper just wouldn’t budge. But when you do land a grouper, it is party time.

Now it’s worth noting that ecologists and fishermen agree, that many grouper populations are threatened by overfishing.

So how do you know which grouper to buy?

First, it’s important to know which grouper species not to buy.

According to both Seafood Watch and Environmental Defense Fund, Warsaw, snowy, yellow edge and longline-caught gag grouper are poor choices because of overfishing and declines populations.

Fortunately, trusted grocery stores like Whole Foods Market, The Fresh Market and Trader Joe’s label the fish.

So here’s another thing to be aware of at the market.

Since domestic grouper is in short supply, the price of grouper will be high. And I know that’s a relative term, so don’t be shocked at $20-25 per pound prices. If you see grouper on the market for a considerably lower price, it isn’t domestic grouper. It may be imported grouper or it may not be grouper at all.

For years, the food service industry has been dealing with a copycat fish, called basa, an Asian catfish that resembles grouper in appearance. You might see it label swai in the market in the frozen aisle. And the way the restaurants get around that is to call it a “fish sandwich” not a “grouper sandwich”. Of course, any time you see fish sandwich on a menu, the fish could be any white-fleshed species. But restaurateurs who value transparency and ethics will let you know what you’re eating.

You know with the demand for fresh fish sandwiches, basa appeared to be a winner because not only is it a white fish, basa costs much less. And if you didn’t know, restaurants operate on super slim profit margins.

There’s hope though. While seafood fraud, in general, has been going on for decades, and for those illegal and unscrupulous fishermen and brokers trying to dupe customers and the industry, chefs, scientists, innovation, and technology are working to change the tides.

For instance, the University of South Florida scientists developed a hand-held device called Grouper Chek which identifies the type of fish you’re eating. And while this system is not available for the consumer, it’s the perfect tool for the supply chain distribution and chefs where much of the challenges lie.

So here’s another way to tell what type of grouper you’re buying other than what’s on the label.

There is a distinct difference between the color of the flesh of a black grouper compared to a red grouper. Black grouper has bright white flesh and the flesh of a red grouper while still a white fish imparts a delicate pinkish hue to its flesh. And the reason you want to learn to notice this difference is because black grouper is more generally more expensive than red grouper.

Now if you don’t want to eat grouper or never see it at the market, but still want a meaty thick white fish sandwich, try red snapper or mahi-mahi as a sustainable substitute.

So much of what defines sustainable seafood has to do with where your fish comes from and the method of catch. Sustainable seafood is one that is good for you and the oceans.

Now if you find grouper at the end of your rod or at the market and need a recipe, I added two links in the show notes. One offers 54 grouper recipes from some of the best Florida restaurants. And the other is a Pinterest grouper recipe roundup for your inspiration.

Remember to store your fish in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cook it within a day or two. Otherwise, pop it in the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to cooking.

Got a question? Hit me up on FB, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

That’s a wrap for this episode.

Next up, H is for Halibut and Habitat.

And don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or Google Play so you don’t miss an episode.

Thanks for listening to Green Fish Blue Oceans. And have a great two weeks.


Show Notes

F is for Farmed Fish and Faux Fish

verlasso salmon pens chile

image Verlasso Salmon pens, Chile

On today’s episode, I’m tackling F is for Farmed Fish and Faux Fish.

Listen here, or download on iTunes or Google Play.

Did you know by 2050 with our growing global population, we will need seven percent more protein to feed the world than we have today?

Some of that protein will be farmed fish and some will be fake fish.

Welcome to the F is for Farmed Fish part of the program. Today we’ll explore what farmed fish or aquaculture is, what types of farming are practiced, best edible seafood species to farm, some aquaculture challenges, and lastly success stories in aquaculture around the world.

What is aquaculture?

Aquaculture, or farmed fish, is the rearing and harvesting of fish in water environments for human consumption.

Now anyone who knows me knows I believe that aquaculture will help feed our growing global population, reduce the stresses on wild fish populations while restoring habitats, and will strengthen our food security too. Aquaculture, when done right provides an energy-efficient, hi-protein, low-fat resource.

There are numerous methods of fish farming or aquaculture

  • Aquaponics
  • Raceways
  • Recirculating aquaculture systems known as RAS in the industry
  • Open ocean pens
  • Sea cages
  • Suspension ropes
  • Racks and lines (oysters, scallops, mussels, algae)
  • Ponds (shrimp, tilapia, mullet and bream)
  • Surface lines
  • Sea ranching (scallops and cucumbers)

Some farming methods are better than others. But because the list is long and time is limited, if you would like to know more about a specific farming method, shoot me an email. But know this, 95 percent of aquaculture is done in ponds. In the US, 85 percent of aquaculture is done in a RAS.

Of the hundreds of edible seafood’s, which are the best to farm?

  1. Shellfish, clams, oysters, mussels (all filter feeders leaving the water in better shape than before)
  2. Kelp (seaweed)
  3. Crustaceans (shrimp—the world’s most beloved seafood)
  4. Finfish

Did you know that 50 percent of all fish consumed is farmed? And friends, that number is only going to rise.

And since 50 percent of all fish is farmed and our global population is growing, the need for successful aquaculture is literally a matter of life and death.

Now aquaculture has been around for over 4000 years, first developed in China. In the US, the aquaculture industry blossomed in the 1970s. But not without its challenges.

So what are the challenges of farmed fish?

One of the biggest challenges with aquaculture is fish feed. Both the ingredient list and the FIFO, or the fish in fish our ratio.

Fish need protein. And lots of it. Much of that feed ingredient comes from wild fisheries in the form of fish oil and fishmeal and from pelagic species like anchovies and sardines.

Wild fisheries that we are overfishing.

So here’s a little something to chew on before I dive into the challenges of farmed fish feed.

We already know that 90 percent of the large fisheries, shark, whales, Pacific Blue Fin tuna have collapsed. Wild Atlantic salmon and New England cod are two prime examples of a species that were fished to near extinction. In the last fifty years, fifty-one marine species are extinct due to overfishing.

Overfishing is at a crisis level.

We’re depleting wild fish species to feed farmed fish!

Yeah. That’s crazy, right?

Fortunately, that’s changing for the better. We’ll look at some solutions in a few minutes.

But let’s dig in a little more about the feed.

Fish are the most efficient converters of food to flesh. Or fish in fish out called FIFO in the industry. Most farmed fish are in the FIFO range of 3:1 to 1:1, the latter being the most efficient end of the scale—one pound of feed in equals one pound of fish out.

So how does that compare to other farmed protein industries? Called Feed Conversion Ratio in other industries, beef is 9:1, pork 6:1, chicken, 2:1, and crickets, or insects are 1.5:1.

What are some other challenges with aquaculture?

Antibiotics are used to eliminate diseases. But that creates a problem with superbugs. There’s also waste to dispose of, escapement in the case of ocean-farmed fish. There are production costs and pollution in the form of carbon emissions in land-based farmed systems. Human slavery is still a problem in the farmed fish industry in Thailand for instance.

So where’s the good news?

Technology and innovation have improved the farmed fish business and that will only continue to improve.

For the last several years, scientists, chemists, biologists, chefs, engineers, food disruptors and farmers are working to change the fish feed landscape and the aquaculture industry.

Innovation will enable fish feed to be made from microbes, algae, yeast, soy, seaweeds, and insects. There is already a vegan fish feed on the market. Technology will make farming operations more efficient and safer.

Success Stories

To date, the most efficient and productive success story takes place in Southern Spain on an island in the river, ten miles inland from the ocean. La Veta La Palma is a premier example of sustainable aquaculture in a natural setting. This 28,000-acre farm developed an artificial wetland habitat by converting ponds and restructuring the water flow. They raise sea bass, bream, mullet and shrimp. They farm rice and developed dry crops. The farm is so productive it attracts over 200 species of migratory birds many of which are endangered making this a natural paradise. There are no antibiotics used or GMO’s.

  • Australis Barramundi (aka seabass) in Massachusetts
  • TwoXSea farms trout in California using vegan feed
  • Kampachi Farms yellowtail, a sashimi grade fish in open pens in Hawaii
  • Verlasso Salmon farms Atlantic salmon in Chile using a yeast compound feed that mimics Omega 3s eliminating the need for wild fish oils and byproduct
  • Langsand Lax in Denmark is the largest land-based salmon farm in the world. They use a highly efficient recirculation system. Earlier this month, they got full approval to build a land-based salmon facility in Florida, the first of its kind in the US
  • Blue Ridge Aquaculture in Virginia is the largest land-based tilapia farm in the world using RSA, fresh never frozen, no antibiotics
  • Food Chain in Lexington, KY is an educational facility that farms tilapia and greens in a hydroponics system

There are fish farms in high rise buildings in Hong Kong and on a Wisconsin dairy farm. There are fish farms in wastewater treatment facilities in Kentucky. There is no shortage of opportunities to farm fish wherever you live.

The future of farmed fish and land-based fish farms will increase in our future. And while many operations are successful, plenty are not. And not all land-based farms are the superstar darlings of sustainable fisheries just yet. The cost to operate these facilities can be three times that of an ocean pen farming operation because of licenses, equipment and facilitates. Other challenges are maintaining water temperatures, oxygen levels, PH levels, and high carbon outputs.

So why continue to farm fish?

Fewer fish die and fish grow faster

There is little need for antibiotics (b/c everything is controlled).

Fish waste can be recycled for compost to grow vegs or produce electricity.

Plus, it’s good business.

Remember, wild fisheries will be depleted if we don’t supplement fish stocks with aquaculture.

Is farmed fish safe to eat?

Yes and no. In the US, we have strict environmental and food safety regulations, so if you live in the US, you will support the American farmers and the economy.

Think about this. In the US, nearly 90 percent of our seafood is imported. Only 2.5 to 3 percent of that seafood is inspected at the docks. Some countries do not practice good food safety laws.

If you love fish like I do, ask questions, like where does my fish come from? Read the package labels at the market. Follow trusted recommendation guides like Seafood Watch and Environmental Defense Fund.

Alright, that’s it for farmed fish.


F is for Faux Fish

It’s no secret that there are seven billion people living on thirty percent of the earth’s surface. And that growth is expected to continue to nine billion by 2050, eleven billion by the end of this century. Seems like a long way off, but to put it into perspective, think about yourselves for a few seconds. Where will you be in 2050? What about their kids, your grandchildren? What kind of world will they be living in? What will they be eating?

So with all this talk of protein, just how much protein do we really need in our daily diets?

According to the US Dept of Agriculture, an average 130-pound female needs forty-seven grams of protein per day. For a 170-pound male, sixty-two grams is recommended.

As I mentioned earlier, an increasing population needs more protein and one of those highly sought after proteins is fish.

Fish farming is not the only solution to solve our growing global protein needs and save our wild fish populations.

Enter Faux Fish

That’s right, plant-based fish products.

Venture capitalists have a term for the people and companies developing faux fish. They’re called Food Industry Disruptors—or those foods that replace conventional animal agriculture.

So how does that work?

Well the most important criteria for any good food is texture and taste, right?

Well, it’s not rocket science. But it is chemistry. And technology using mass spectrometry and texture sensors. It’s innovation. It’s students, nutritionists, biochemists, engineers, and chefs.

Currently, there are several plant-based seafood products being tested on the market and more products being developed in the lab.

Plant-based products are made from quinoa, seitan, mushrooms, yellow pea proteins, seaweed, nuts and high-quality soy.

  • New Wave Foods makes PopShrimp shrimp made from algae
  • Tomato Sushi offers sushi made from tomatoes that looks like tuna
  • There is Tofuna Fysh which makes fysh oil and fysh sauce.
  • Sophie’s Kitchen in California makes a line of shelf-stable, refrigerated and frozen vegan seafood items made from konjac, a mineral-rich plant that has almost zero calories and is high in dietary fiber. They offer Smoked Salmon, scallops, mac n cheese, jambalaya, and its most popular retail item is The Vegan Toona. Coming soon Glazed Salmon bacon!
  • Veggie World in the UK makes its award-winning vegan prawns.
  • Gardein in the US makes fishless filets and crabless cakes.

While faux fish made still be in its infancy, it is a growing industry. The Plant-based food industry contributes $13.7 billion dollars to the US economy alone. Jobs generated in the industry offer an annual income of $59,400. But that figure includes other plant-based products in the meat, chicken and dairy categories.

So I should add that I haven’t tried any of these products nor am I doing a product endorsement. Not that I don’t want to. I am eager to try any faux fish product, so if you’re a food disruptor and you would like to connect and collaborate, please send me a message. For the record, I did try cricket bars for the first time and found them to be earthy, chewy, nutty and sweet. I am game!

There is no better time in our history to be a sustainable food disruptor whether you want to farm fish, develop faux fish or just enjoy delicious food that is good for you and the oceans.

Thanks for listening to Green Fish Blue Oceans. Don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or Google Play so you don’t miss an episode.

Next up, G is for Geoduck & Grouper.
Can’t get enough of me? Let’s connect. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And have a great two weeks.

Show Links

NOAA aquaculture

Love The Wild

Veggie Prawns

Plant-based foods industry info—

Seafood Collider UC Berkeley plant-based research study

The Good Food Institute

New Crop Capital

Fast Company 2017 World-Changing Ideas

SeafoodSource

Tomato Sushi

New Wave Foods

GardeIn

The Epoch Times “23 Innovative Plant-based Food Companies”

E is For Escolar And Ecosystems

Sylvia Earle El Toro Marine Reserve (c)kipEvans for Mission Blue

Sylvia Earle El Toro Marine Reserve (c)kipEvans for Mission Blue

On today’s episode, I’m tackling E is for Escolar and Ecosystems.

Listen here or download on iTunes and Google Play.

What is escolar? Why should you care? Where can you find it and should you eat it? There are two types of ecosystems, marine and terrestrial. Today I’m going to talk about one specific marine ecosystem, coral reefs.

E is for Escolar

Let’s start out by answering a seemingly innocuous question.

What is escolar?

Well, get ready, because there is nothing simple about this fish.

In fact, escolar might be one of the most delicious and dangerous fish in the ocean.

Here are some basics.

Escolar is a large fast-swimming fish found in warm tropic and temperate climates. In the US, think Florida and Hawaii. Escolar is also called walu walu, Hawaiian butterfish, waloo, or white tuna.

Escolar has a firm, rich, oily flesh making it an irresistible and delectable catch. However, that oily content is where the danger lies. Since the escolar’s diet consists of food high in wax esters and escolar have a tough time digesting wax esters, its flesh is super oily.

And super oily fish can be a problem for many consumers.

Note, If you want to know more about wax esters, check out the link in the show notes.

So should you eat escolar?

That’s a personal choice. It is a buttery, melt in your mouth fish. And you may want to gobble it up!

But if you do? You need to know a few things first.

First, the most important thing to know is, where your fish comes from and who your boat captain is. And trust him or her. Not only is that smart business, but you will have no doubt about what you are buying and eating.

Second, only eat six ounces of escolar or less. Period. Do not be a little piggy at the sushi bar.

And now I need to give you a warning.

What you’re about to hear in the next few minutes will either make you laugh or you will be repulsed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Overconsumption of escolar can lead to abdominal cramps and diarrhea. I’m talking about spending serious time in the bathroom. Think an oily yellowish-orange hot mess. Seriously! This could happen as soon as 30 minutes after eating and last for days. Or worse you could just fart that oily liquid unexpectedly. I am not kidding. This shit happens.

How do I know?

It happened to me. Fortunately, I was at home.

Escolar is called the Ex-lax fish for a reason.

Now if you’re still with me, thank you for hanging and hopefully laughing!

Alright so beyond the oily issue, what else can be said about escolar?

We need to address the reason escolar is being sold on the market if it’s such a problem fish. Well, it’s no secret the seafood industry needs to do something about overfishing. And so there is a huge push to encourage consumers to eat under loved fish. Now I am all about selling underloved seafood. It’s a terrific way to help curb overfishing and selling underloved fish supports small-scale fishermen and communities.

As you probably guessed, escolar is one of those under-loved species—Also the good news is it’s abundant and inexpensive.

But something else needs to be addressed too.

Sometimes escolar is mislabeled and called white tuna. So not only is this inherently wrong, but there are health consequences like those mentioned a few moments ago.

So why would escolar be called anything other than escolar?

Aaaand this is the slippery part of the story.

So first of all, to a chef’s credit, they may be unaware that what they’re buying is escolar. Many chefs don’t buy whole fish, so at the receiving end, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell the difference between escolar or white tuna. Also, not all chefs do the receiving at the restaurant. Sometimes the dishwasher signs the invoice pops the fish in the cooler and goes back to loading the machine. Without checking the fish. I like to think this is a rare occasion, but I’ve seen more of my share of, um, Anthony Bourdain type events in my twenty-three years of working in the food industry. If you recall, Bourdain’s memoir, Kitchen Confidential was an expose of what happens behind the scenes in the back of the house.

Now the fault doesn’t necessarily lie with the distributor either. Sometimes the fish is packaged incorrectly and is delivered from the docks with the wrong label. Fish processing is done by humans, not robots.

That’s not to say there are no unscrupulous people.

There are indeed duplicitous fishermen and business people in the world. We have modern day pirates, slavery and murder in the seafood industry. But that’s a story for another episode.

Now the other thought I have about escolar being called something other than escolar is a marketing issue.

So think about this. Which of the following two descriptions sound more appetizing?

You’re sitting in a restaurant, sipping wine, stomach growling. The server reads off the daily special:

“Today’s fish special is Grilled Escolar with a Ginger-turmeric Glaze with roasted Sugar Snap Peas.”

Okay, so prior to this podcast, you don’t know what escolar is and you ask the server. So he either knows, or he returns to the kitchen in search of an answer, or worse he takes an order from a six top then heads to the kitchen for your answer, at which point your spouse is glaring because you sent the server away.

Or his daily special sounds like this:

“Today’s fish special is Grilled Hawaiian Walu Walu with a Ginger-turmeric Glaze with roasted Sugar Snap Peas.

See what I mean? Who doesn’t want Hawaiian fish? It sounds exotic!

Now if you order escolar, remember don’t eat more than six ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards and you should be fine. And no more than four pieces of sushi. However, if you have stomach issues in general, you’re not going to love escolar at all.

Now if you see escolar in the display at the grocery, here are a few buying tips.

  • At the market, the flesh should be firm, white (not gray) and not flaking apart.
  • The fish should smell fresh like the ocean. Don’t be shy about asking to smell your fish. It’s your money! And health.
  • Once home, store the fish in the coldest part of the refrigerator which is generally the back.
  • Remove the skin before cooking.
  • And probably the best way to cook escolar is either on the grill or seared in a hot skillet on the stovetop.

Lastly, worth noting you won’t find escolar at the market in many countries. For instance, Japan and Italy banned escolar. And many countries advise against its consumption because of its supposed toxicity. Escolar like mahi-mahi, shark, tuna and other mackerel species, can also contain histamines, a type of bacterial food toxin, if not handled and stored properly. In the US, escolar is not banned.

So to wrap up, sometimes just knowing is the best news of the day.


E is for Ecosystems

So when you don’t live near the ocean, theirs is plenty to think about other than what’s happening below the surface. Unless you work in the industry or are a seafood nerd, right? But you probably have seen the ocean. Some of you have snorkeled or are certified scuba divers.

I’m going to fill you in on how I connected with the oceans and coral reefs and then we’ll dive in to discover some amazing things about coral reefs, a few challenges, and some solutions.

So, Wyland, the American artist known for his famous outdoor murals featuring whales and other sea creatures, said, “all of us, at one time or another, find ourselves drawn to the sea.”

And for me, that moment was during the summer of 1975. I was fourteen years old when Mom and four of my sisters drove from our hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to Ocean City, MD. Once I saw the deep blue water on the horizon and dug my toes into the sand and felt the cool wetness beneath the hot surface at the beach, I knew that one day I would live near the ocean.

And while I had many other beach vacations over the years, it took another fourteen years before I moved to Florida where I lived and worked for the next twenty-three years.

For the first ten years, I managed a breakfast and lunch restaurant in the Florida Keys. When I wasn’t slinging bacon and eggs, I fished for tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi on the open sea, grouper and snapper along the canals and in the backcountry, tarpon, and cobia under the Seven Mile Bridge. I snorkeled in the warm turquoise waters along the Florida reef where a 3D technicolor world of brightly colored corals and tropical fish coexistence with sharks and barracudas, sea cucumbers and eels.

And all those years I snorkeled up and down the Florida reef, throughout the Bahamas, in the Turks & Caicos, even the Red Sea at the tip of Israel, I never went scuba diving. Mostly because at that time, I was an avid mountain snow skier and without unlimited funds and time, I opted for the best of both worlds. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have an appreciation for what lies in deep blue sea, it just means I rely on photographers and explorer’s who do travel down to the deepest parts of the ocean to color my stories.

One of the most famous and prolific ocean divers of our time is American biologist and ocean conservationist Sylvia A. Earle.

Sylvia is my ocean hero. And if you are familiar with her work, then I’m betting she is yours too.

So what has Sylvia’s seventy years of diving and ocean conservation shown us about the coral reefs around the world?

First, let’s dive into what a coral reef is and its significance is to the health of our blue world.

Coral reefs are the most diverse of all the marine ecosystems. They cover less than one percent of the earth’s surface yet one-quarter of all marine species rely on coral reefs for food and shelter.

According to the Smithsonian, “The value of coral reefs has been estimated at 30 billion U.S. dollars and perhaps as much as 172 billion U.S. dollars each year, providing food, protection of shorelines, jobs based on tourism, and even medicines.”

That’s impressive.

Coral reefs survive natural destruction like tsunamis and hurricanes but may not survive man-made destruction like global C02 emissions and warming ocean temperatures.

  • Yet according to WWF, we have lost almost 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs.
  • 80 percent of the coral species in the Caribbean have been destroyed. The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is the largest reef in the world and is visible from space. But the GBR is in trouble.
  • The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is the largest reef in the world and is visible from space. But the GBR is in trouble.

Humans are responsible for much of the destruction of coral reefs—think plastic pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification and the introduction of lionfish, an invasive species which I’ll discuss later in the year under L is for Lionfish & Lobster.

So what is being done to protect this beautiful otherworldly environment?

  • Well, some species will survive and thrive adapting to these changes. Scientists propose solutions from building shade panels over reefs to adding lime to the water to gardening new manmade reefs to attract fish and providing food and habitat for many marine species.
  • Scientists propose solutions from building shade panels over reefs
  • Adding lime to the water
  • Gardening new manmade reefs to attract fish and providing food and habitat for many marine species.
  • Mostly, though, it’s up to us to make changes today for our children’s futures.

So last thoughts and a quick note about my ocean hero, Sylvia Earle and her mission. Sylvia created the Mission Blue Alliance. She also created designated Hope Spots, those places around the world that are critical for the health of our planet.

Watch Sylvia’s TED Talk (link below) to find out more about this special program. And then head over to Mission Blue and vote to designate your favorite Hope Spot.

Use whatever resources you have to spread the word about what is happening to our beautiful blue planet and oceans.

Share this podcast with your family and friends and on your social media.

And when you enjoy a day at the beach and dig your toes into the sand, remember that our earth relies on you and your choices to keep that ocean water underneath the surface of the beach cool and healthy.

Thanks for listening.

Next up F is for Farmed Fish & Faux Fish.

Yes, there is such a thing! Don’t forget to subscribe to Green Fish Blue Oceans on iTunes or Google Play so you don’t miss an episode.

And have a great two weeks.


Show Links

B is for Barramundi and Blue Crab Meat

blue crabs

Listen to B is for Barramundi and Blue Crab Meat here or download on iTunes or Google Play. (And please subscribe!)

Listen on Google Play Music

But first, a couple of quick thoughts.

You know this podcasting thing is new to me, so if I miss something, make a mistake, or say something you don’t understand, please let me know! You can find me on social media or shoot me an email. Here’s my contact info.

Hey, you know what’s cool?

My friend Charity messaged me that her eight-year-old daughter wanted to share her fave salmon recipe with—wait—the salmon lady!

Poached Salmon with Avocado Aioli (in the microwave)

Here’s how she does it.

For the Avocado Aioli

Add 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbs white wine vinegar or another acid, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp mustard in a blender on the smoothie button or in a food processor on high. While the machine is running, slowly add up to 3/4 cup of olive oil until it comes together. Mash an avocado and add to the blender until the whole thing is smooth and creamy.

For the Salmon

Arrange the salmon in a shallow microwave safe dish. Season with salt and pepper, juice from half a lemon, a little olive oil and then add water to three-quarters of the way up the side of the fish. Microwave for two to three minutes until cooked thru.

Plate and drizzle the Avocado Aioli over the fish. Serve immediately with a green salad for a quick easy delicious balanced meal.

Do you have a favorite seafood recipe you’d like to share? Send me your favorite seafood recipes so I can share with my listeners!

And thanks, Charity!

On to the fish!


Barramundi

Of the over thirty thousand seafood species to choose from, why did I choose Barramundi?

First, barramundi is a terrific tasting fish. It’s sweet and slightly buttery, but clean. Mm-mm. It’s also high in protein and Omega 3s, and low in fat. It’s suitable for any method of preparation—on the grill, stovetop, and oven.

You might even be familiar with barramundi. It’s on restaurant menus around the globe and available in grocery markets too.

Barramundi is both wild and farm raised. Barramundi in general is a large and important commercial wild fishery. Barramundi is farmed raised in numerous countries with great success in ocean pens and land-based recirculating systems.

That is important.

You see, I believe that aquaculture, or farm raising fish, when done right, is one of the methods we can use to successfully feed our growing global population and help take the pressure off wild species.

I first became familiar with barramundi around 2007 or 2008, I can’t recall exactly. I was selling fish at the wholesale level in Florida. I didn’t sell much Barramundi because most Chefs wanted white fish that consumers were familiar with—grouper, snapper, cobia, wahoo, tilapia.

Then in 2015, at The Sustainable Seafood Blog Con in New Orleans, I met Josh Goldman, the CEO and co-founder of Australis Aquaculture, the company that farm raises barramundi. Josh and his wife invited me to sit with them for breakfast since I was sitting by myself like a wall flower. You know how conferences are when you don’t know anybody? I don’t know about you, but that situation takes anxiety to an epic level for me.

Anyway, over coffee, I discovered that Josh was the Josh giving the opening presentation at the conference that morning. So not only did I make a great connection, I had a front row seat to his presentation—which was all about farm raising sustainable sea bass, also known as, yep you guessed, barramundi.

The reason I’m talking about this particular product?

Because I have a personal connection. And that’s how I roll.

I like to know where my fish comes from and who is catching or raising it.

But also because I know that barramundi is good for you and the oceans. My favorite sustainable seafood resource, Seafood Watch, gives all seabass, white, black and European, a green and yellow rating with the except of one species—black sea bass caught in the US Northern Mid-Atlantic with an otter trawl. Fisheries that are managed, like the Mid-Atlantic black sea bass, have annual catch quotas. Based on the previous year’s landings and discards, also known as bycatch, another great B word, these quotas are sometimes revised and adjusted mid-year to help maintain healthy fish populations.

One of the reasons Seafood Watch rates this species red, or avoid is because of the fishing method and gear—an otter trawl.

Think of a large cone-shaped net that is dragged across the bottom of the ocean. In uneven surfaces, it can dislodge corals and seaweed, rocks and sand, disturbing precious marine life that relies on this habitat. More research needs to be done to determine the long-term effects of this type of fishing.

So besides that one exception, what’s not to like about this fish?

In the US, when you’re shopping for barramundi, check Australis Barramundi’s website for store locations. Then at the market head to the freezer section in the seafood department. Australis Barramundi is packaged in a black pouch with yellow lettering. And if you can’t find it in your market, ask the manager at the store to bring it in for you.

Now here’s a quick side note about shopping for barramundi/seabass and ordering it in a restaurant. There is a difference between black, white and European seabass and Chilean seabass. Chilean seabass is it not actually a bass, but rather a fish from the cod family, previously called Patagonian or Antarctic Toothfish. Super unappetizing, right? So why it was called seabass to confuse, is not something I have the answer for. Just be aware, okay?

I know this can be confusing, but that’s why you’re listening in!

Remember, the basics of sustainable seafood are about three things (well there are more but these are the basics):

  1. What the species is
  2. How it is caught, or in the case of farmed fish, how it is raised
  3. Where it was caught, or raised

Alright, we know what barramundi is, where to find it at the market, and what to avoid let’s cook some fish.

As with most fish recipes, less is better. If you’re familiar with cooking grouper or striped bass, barramundi is similar. It’s flakey, with a toothsome feel. To complement that mild yet buttery flavor, think Honey-Sesame Vinaigrette, this sweet and nutty combo with a hint of heat and touch of acid is easy to whip up. To save time, you can make ahead a few days. Cover and refrigerate. Remember to bring it up to room temperature before shaking or whisking again.

Honey-Sesame Barramundi

Ingredients

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

2 tablespoons wildflower honey, or whatever your local bee farmer has

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Dash red pepper flakes

Dash kosher salt

Dash ground black pepper

Dash rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 green onions, sliced or chopped

Soba noodles

one tablespoon canola oil

kosher salt

ground black pepper

2 (6-8) ounce portions Barramundi

Directions

  1. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat about four to five minutes or until they are golden brown in color. Shake the skillet often, careful not to burn the seeds.
  2. Add the honey, soy, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and whisk.
  3. Add a splash of rice wine vinegar. Whisk again.
  4. Place a damp towel under the bowl to secure the bowl while you pour and whisk. Drizzle the oil into the vinaigrette slowly as you continue to whisk to emulsify the dressing.
  5. Cook the soba noodles per the package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
  6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat for several minutes or until the skillet feels hot when you hover your hand over the surface.
  7. While the skillet heats, pat the barramundi dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  8. Add the canola oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the surface.
  9. Place the barramundi in the skillet, careful not to crowd, or the fish will steam not sear. Work in batches if you’re using a small skillet.
  10. Sear the fish for three minutes on each side.
  11. Mound the cooked soba noodles on a plate or in small bowls.
  12. Arrange the barramundi on the soba noodles. Spoon the Honey Vinaigrette over the barramundi and noodles. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and green onions over the top. Serve immediately with steamed broccoli, green beans or sugar snap peas.

Blue Crab Meat

Did you know there are over 4,000 crabs species, both fresh and salt water?

Crazy right? But we only eat a few dozen. Here’s a short list of edible crabs: Jonah, peekytoe, red, snow, brown, spider, Dungeness, yellow, rock, stone, hairy and swimmer crabs to name a few.

If I had to choose, my top three crab picks are Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab, Florida Stone Crab, and Alaska Red King Crab, and not necessarily in that order. Not only do I love the sweet flavors and textures of these species, each of them is sustainable.

So what made me pick blue crab meat for this episode?

Because of all the commercial species, this is one of those species that is widely consumed, but not always sustainable. And I think it’s important to talk about that.

So to clarify, I’m talking about blue crab meat found in the refrigerated section at the grocery. All blue crab meat comes from the Blue Swimmer crab. Mostly caught around the Pacific Rim, or at certain times of the year in the Chesapeake Bay and the East Coast of the US as far south as Florida.

Blue crab meat is sold either fresh or pasteurized. Fresh crab meat has a relatively short expiration date, say a day or two. Pasteurized crab meat has a refrigerated shelf life of up to one year unopened, but once opened, needs to be eaten in a day or two. Which should not be a problem at all crab lovers.

It’s important to read the labels on the tubs, cans, and pouches.

You may need to shop around a bit for a sustainable product since the market is flush with crab meat from India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam which are rated red on Seafood Watch recommendation list. And you know what a fan I am of that guide. The reason Seafood Watch rates these locations red is because of the fishing method which in this area is primarily bottom trawlers. More about that in a minute. The best, read most sustainable way to harvest crabs is with a crab pot, which is not really a pot, but rather a large square wire box.

So back to the bottom trawler.

A bottom trawler is a fishing net that is dragged along the ocean floor, scooping up everything in its path, seriously damaging a marine ecosystem and ocean floor. The nets are held open by trawl doors sometimes weighing up to five tons to give you some perspective. Worse, yes, there’s more, up to 90 percent of the catch is bycatch, another good B word, also called discards, but I’ll talk more about that in Episode 4, D is for Dogfish and Discards. Whether you call it bycatch or discards, it means the unintentional species that are caught in the bottom trawler, and then discarded, either dead or dying.

But also, crab from the Pacific Rim has a huge carbon footprint to get from the Pacific Rim to your plate. So there’s all that to consider.

That said, my intentions are to make you aware. Not decide for you.

Now, when you do find sustainable crab meat, you’ll have a few choices. Blue crab meat is sold as either jumbo lump, lump or backfin, special, and claw. Most likely you will see these three types in the US—jumbo, lump and claw.

So let me break that down. Jumbo lump meat is a premium product. It is the entire lump from the back of the crab. For each crab, there are only two whole jumbo lumps, so you can see why this would be the most expensive product on the market. Think thirty to forty plus dollars per pound.

When the pickers, the people who pick the meat from the crab, inadvertently break the jumbo meat apart, that product is called lump crab or backfin. So lump usually comes from the same part of the animal and the back and is less expensive than jumbo. Say around the twenty dollar range.

Claw is the least expensive and has a deeper, but sweet flavor than the lump meat. Claw meat is also is brownish-orange in color, compared to the pearly white color of the lump meat. Look for prices to be in the fifteen dollar range.

Once you select your crab meat, store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it. Then once opened, eat immediately out of the container!

Quick & Easy Crab Cakes
Serves 4

  • Melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a skillet.
  • Add a few tablespoons of minced celery and one teaspoon of shallots. Stir and cook for several minutes. Remove the veg from the heat to a medium bowl. Wipe out the skillet and let it cool away the burner.
  • Add one pound of Blue Crab Meat, a few tablespoons of mayonnaise, a few tablespoons of panko bread crumbs, a ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, a dash of cayenne, kosher salt and ground black pepper to the celery and shallot. Grate a little lemon zest over the top and stir gently, careful not to break up the meat.
  • Form the crab mixture into patties equally. If you find the crab is falling apart, add a little more breadcrumbs and mayo. Cover and refrigerate for about twenty to thirty minutes.
  • Heat the same skillet or a flat griddle if you have one, over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter and oil and swirl to coat the surface letting the butter melt before you place the crab cakes in the skillet. Do not move the crab cakes and don’t crowd them either leaving a little space between the cakes. Cook for three minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low if you see the edges of the cakes browning too quickly.
  • Turn the crab cakes and continue cooking for an additional three to four minutes on the other side. You want a nice caramelized crust on both sides. If you turned the crab cakes too quickly, turn them back over to cook an additional minute.
  • Serve the crab cakes immediately with a lemon wedge and a fresh green salad.
  • That’s it for this episode seafood lovers.

Now, it’s time to send me your thoughts and questions. What would you like to know about your favorite seafood? Leave me a message or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter.

And I leave you with three things.

  1. If you know someone who would like this podcast, please share!
  2. And if you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to #GreenFishBlueOceans podcast, and let’s connect on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
  3. And lastly, if you’d like to support this podcast, you can buy my cookbook, Salmon From Market To Plate, when you want to eat salmon that is good for you and the oceans, available on my website maureencberry.com and Amazon.

In Episode 3, I’ll tackle Clams and Climate Change.

Thanks for listening to Green Fish Blue Oceans and have a great two weeks!

A is for Arctic Char and Anchovies

green fish blue oceans

This is Green Fish Blue Oceans, the podcast where stories about seafood are good for you and the oceans, live now on iTunes, (and while you’re there, please subscribe!) or listen here.

I’m Maureen C. Berry. This week in my A to Z series on Green Fish Blue Oceans, I’ll dish Arctic Char and Anchovies.

But before I jump into the species, I want to share with you where my scientific fish information and research comes from.

  • Seafood Watch is a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the gold star in ocean conservation and fisheries research. Seafood Watch helps consumers and businesses make choices for healthy oceans.
  • NOAA Fisheries, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce which conducts environmental research and offers FishWatch, the largest US fish science-based database.
  • Additional resources include Barron’s The New Food Lover’s Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst
  • The Connoisseur’s Guide to Fish & Seafood by Wendy Sweetser
  • James Beard award-winning The Penguin Food Companion to Food by Alan Davidson
  • In addition to copious trust-worthy online resources, I reference Marine Stewardship Council, an international organization that addresses problems associated with unsustainable fisheries, and offers a certification process, and FishChoice, a sustainable seafood sourcing tool.

Couple of thoughts here on this information. None of this information cited is a paid endorsement, nor is this podcast sponsored, FYI. Yet!

Now that all that is out of the way, onto the fish!

So what is Arctic Char?

Arctic Char is a delightful, flavorful, healthy for you fish. It resembles salmon in color, but a tad pinker and trout in terms of flesh. This unique species is both wild and farmed and sold fresh, frozen and canned.

In the wild, arctic char thrive in the icy polar salt waters and like salmon return to the rivers to spawn. Wild arctic char are available in remote Northern areas in the fall, but this species is not considered a viable wild commercial fish due to its geographic isolation. The good news is, this delectable tasting fish is farmed with success.

Arctic Char are raised in a land-based closed container with a recirculation system. So there is no chance for escapement in the wild (like an open net pen system in the ocean) and there is less disease associated with these methods.

Since Arctic Char is fished and farmed sustainably, Seafood Watch, the gold star in sustainable seafood recommendations, rates this fish green! Insert guitar riff for three secs. Wait! You know fish is rated, right? Maybe you’ve noticed over the years that some grocery stores use color coded labels, or maybe you use the Seafood Watch app (because it’s free you know for Android and iPhone). Seafood Watch offers three recommendations. Green for amazing, yellow for moderation and red for just don’t go there. Now the cool thing is, with science-based information and fisheries research, this recommendation list changes. Not often, so don’t get your panties in a wad, but something to be aware of.

Here are a few thoughts about why one species may be green today, but yellow or red the following year. Fish migrate, water temps change, oceans are on the rise. There’s acidification, overfishing, illegal fishing, and unsafe fishing methods—all these things are assessed and analyzed on an ongoing basis to ensure the health and safety of our oceans resources.

Now that you’ve got all that in your pocket, it’s time to shop and cook some Arctic Char.

  • First things first, before you leave the house, don’t forget to bring your cooler bag to the market.
  • Once you’re at the fish counter look for firm flesh, not flaking apart—a sign of aging.
  • Buy four to six ounces per person per serving. Four for lunch or a lighter meal, six if you’re really hungry!
  • If you have a long shopping list, shop for fish last.
  • If you have a longish commute (say over ten minutes or it’s ninety-five degrees outside,) ask for a small bag of ice for transport.
  • Don’t see arctic char at your market? Ask the manager to bring some in.

Arctic Char offers a mild, sweet flavor and is tender and flakey. Arctic Char makes an easy mid-week meal or is perfect for a lazy weekend. And since the fillets are slender, you have little cook time. Either broil, pan sear or my fave, slow roast in the oven.

Ready to cook?

  1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. If you are cooking a whole side of fish, trim the fillet where the natural taper is on the fish, so you have two pieces. That way, when the smaller, thinner piece is done you can remove it and continue roasting the larger portion.
  3. Place the fish skin down on the baking pan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the flesh, rub in. Sprinkle a kiss of kosher salt over the top, add a dash of black pepper, a little garlic powder and a tiny shake of thyme.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for fifteen minutes or less depending on how thick the center fillet is. A good guideline is ten minutes per inch of fish thickness, but this is only a guide. Oven temperatures vary, fish comes in different sizes. You’re looking for the fish to be warm in the center. Lastly, insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the fish, you don’t want the fish to temp higher than 145 degrees. What happens to fish when it’s overcooked? Oof. Think dry, chalky, chewy. Not good! Less is better friends.
  5. While the fish is in the oven, toss a green salad, steam some rice and heat up a can of black beans. Top with salsa if you want a little heat, and add a dash or two of powdered cumin to the beans while they heat. Got fresh cilantro? Chop up the leaves and toss them around the top of the dish like you’re having a party. Because that’s what your mouth is going to feel like.

Alright! Next up Anchovies!

Okay, true confession time. This is about anchovies remember. I didn’t eat anchovies until 1990 when I was a bright chipper thirty-year-old. I was in Budapest, and after a pint or two of warmish lager, well let’s just say I felt confident! Not that I’m suggesting you wait to travel to a foreign country and drink warm beer to eat anchovies. That would not be a bad thing, though. Okay, I digress. My point is, life is full of experiences and some, like mine all those years ago, left me desiring more of those tiny remarkable oily, salty, savory fishies. Yum! Suddenly, I was eating Cesar salad everywhere I went! Anchovies and crackers? Okay. Cooked down in a red sauce. Oh man.

It’s no secret that anchovies have been coveted and eaten for centuries around the globe.

But that was then and this is now. These days, I never eat anchovies.

Why?

Now, some anchovies fisheries are certified sustainable, (yellow on the SW list based on where they are fished) but there is an environmental issue associated with anchovies that I have a hard time swallowing. And as you know, I take my fish personally and seriously.

I avoid eating anchovies, primarily because the gear used to catch anchovies is a purse seine.

And what’s that?

According to NOAA, a purse seine is a large wall of netting deployed around an entire area or school of fish. Purse seining is a non-selective fishing method that captures everything that it surrounds, including protected species. Once a boat captain finds a school of fish (either by radar, natural observation, think a frenzied flock of birds or with the aid of a helicopter), the boat deploy the net into the water and circles the fish, in essence draping a wall of netting around the school and then cinching up the top ensnaring every species in that purse. So you can see where this is going right? Think turtles who will either get crushed from the weight of the fish or wind up with damaged legs and fins if they don’t escape before the net is cinched.

So why am I talking about a fish that we shouldn’t eat?

Green Fish Blue Oceans podcast is not all tra-la-la and la-dee-da, it’s about awareness and action. The more we know about something, the better our choices and actions are, right? And there is plenty that we don’t know about this fishery. That said, if you are going to eat anchovies, I suggest you follow the Seafood Watch recommendations and send a little extra hard earned cash to get the best anchovies you can afford.

Now, it’s time to send me your thoughts and questions. I would love to know what’s going on in your fish world.

In Episode 2, I’ll tackle Barramundi and Blue Crab Meat.

And I leave you with three things:

Thanks for listening to Green Fish Blue Oceans. Have a great two weeks!

Episode 0

Welcome to Episode 0 of Green Fish Blue Oceans, the podcast where stories about seafood are good for you and the oceans.

I’m Maureen Berry, Kentucky-based sustainable seafood advocate, author of the cookbook Salmon From Market To Plate, nature photographer, book-lover, wire fox terrier lover and wait for it, professional nap-taker—yeah, I never thought I’d confess to that!

So what is Green Fish Blue Oceans podcast?

Buying the right seafood is more complex than ever, but with a few guidelines, you’ll be on your way to becoming a seafood-phenom. On each fifteen minutes episode, I’ll talk about a different species from A to Z, including both common and under loved fish. For each species, I’ll share shopping and cooking tips, recipe ideas and explore the sustainability and traceability of that fish. You’ll find out who is catching or farming that fish and how it gets from the boat or farm to your plate.

Maybe you want to know whether you should buy fresh, frozen, wild or farmed seafood?

Don’t worry. I got you covered.

Eating seafood that is good for you and the oceans is easier than ever. Just listen in for fifteen minutes every other week. You’ll be a sustainable seafood-phenom before you know it.

Now you might be asking, Hey Maureen, why I should care about all this?

Because your choices and actions impact the future of our oceans and planet.

And our oceans and planet need your help today.

When we care about something, we act.

So what action can you take?

Subscribe now and add Green Fish Blue Oceans to your podcast playlist.

greenfishblueoceans A-Z show list

Want to know more about me and my projects? Check out my website, maureencberry.com for easy-to-prepare recipes, photography, poetry, book events, updates and more. While you’re there, you can buy my cookbook, Salmon From Market To Plate, when you want to eat salmon that is good for you and the oceans, available on Amazon in print and ebook.

Want to stay in touch? I do! Sign up for my free monthly newsletter. It comes to your inbox every third Sunday of the month. I highlight people and organizations doing amazing art, science, and tech, all to preserve our beautiful blue planet.

Got a question or want to say hello?

Shoot me an email maureen cberry at gmail dot com.

And lastly, let’s connect. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

That’s it for now, seafood lovers. Thanks for listening. Episode 1, A is for Arctic Char and Anchovies will be in your earbuds soon.